Saddle for cycles



Jan.. 4, 193s. HANSON 2,104,512

SADDLE FOR CYCLES Filed May 16, 1936 v( annua/1A Patented Jan. 4, 1938 SADDLE FOR CYCLES Carl Hanson, Leer, Mich., assignor to The Lobdell-Emery Manufacturing Company, Alma, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 16, 19736, Serial No. 80,155

3 Claims.

This invention relates to saddles for cycles and particularly to saddle constructions of the type designed and intended for use with bicycles and motorcycles and provided with suitable cushioning means for shielding the rider from the shocks and vibrations to which the vehicle itself is subjected in passing over a roadway.

The invention contemplates the use of a cushioning means which includes the usual reach member, pivotally connected to the seating mem- `loerfand one or more torsion springs operatively interposed between the free end of the reach member and the seating member. Thetorsion springs are so designed and supported upon the seating member, and are so connected to the `reach membenthat an improved construction results, having a minimum number of operating parts and which parts may be assembled together quickly and easily to form the completed structure. i Y i One form` ofthe invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawing by wayiof example.`

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the saddle construction in its entirety; Figure 2 is a-bottom plan view of the same;`

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the saddle, partly broken away;

Figure 4 is a Section on line and Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

A seating member is indicated at I and, while this member may be constructed in various ways and of any desired material, I prefer to fabricate it as a one piece member of sheet metal by a drawing operation, and to thereafter cover it with leather or other suitable covering mate rial, with or without the interposition of resilient padding between the covering sheet and the seating member itself.

A reach member is indicated at II and, as shown more clearly in Figure 2, this member preferably comprises a single flat metallic bar bent into the form of a loop of the peculiar shape shown in Figure 2, the end portions II of the bar being brought closely adjacent and arranged in parallelism and the mid-portion of the bar being formed into the relatively large loop |12, the parts I I provided with registering apertures through which extend a bolt I2, this bolt com prising a pivot about which the reach member may swing toward or away from the seating member I0. Coiled torsion springs are indicated at I3, these springs being disposed with their axes parallel and extending in substantially 4-4 of ,Figure 3;

(C1. IE-5.22)

parallel relationship with the reach member. These springs are identical in construction, similarly connected to the seating member, and similarly connected to the free end of the reach member so that it will be necessary to describe in I detail only one of the spring units. It Awill be appreciated of course that one of the Springs will act as a right-hand spring and that the other will act asa left-hand spring.

As shown in Figure 4 spring I3 encircles a rod It the ends of which are in turn supported in a bracket I5 secured to the seating member I0. The larger end of the spring, which is generally conical in shape, encircles a thimble I6 supported by a link 2l). As shown more clearly in Figure 5,

link 2!) includes a lower loop 20' and an S-shaped upper end 202, this upper end extending through an aperture 2l formed in the transversely extending portion of the reach. member II.

Spring is initially tensioned so that the arm I8 normally tends' to move downwardly the free.

end of the reach member when the seating member is unloaded or conversely, to thrust the seating member upwardly with reference to the reach member, the reach member being of course rigidly secured to the cycle, as by means of the usual saddle post. Relative movement of the reach member and seating member away from each other, however, is limited by the contact of arm I8 with the lower edge surface of the reach member, this area of contact being indicated at A in Figure 3. Hence the movement of separation of the reach and seating members is limited by contact at A and these parts will normally occupy the positions with reference to each other as illustrated in Figure 3. Should a load be placed upon the seating member ID, however, this member will be driven downwardly with respect to the reach member, the arm I8 will move out of contact with the reach member and the angularity of the arm with reference to the spring I3 will be changed, depending upon the magnitude of the load imposed upon the seating member.

Naturally in moving downwardly the arms will Cause the links ZIJ to swing inwardly about their feo Vas commonly experienced when a cycle is moved over an uneven roadway. The links are easily applied and may be fabricated very economically. By the use yof links of this character the necessary freedom of movement ofthe ends of the spring arms is assured While at the same time the use of additional pivot membersis rendered unnecessary. The links may be easily and rapidly assembled but are nevertheless securely held in the positions shown when connected to the springs, the springs exerting a constant tension and thus preventing accidental displacement of the links.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a saddle construction, in combination, a seating member, a reach member having one end pivotally connected to the seating member and its other end free for movement toward or away from said member, atorsion spring located laterally of the reach member and having an arm extending under the-free end thereof, and a link detachably connecting the end of said arm and the free end of the-reach member, therreach member normally contacting said arm intermediate the link and spring,V for limiting the movement of said seating and reach members in directions away from each other, the-upper end of said connecting link comprising a short portion extending at an angle with the major portion of said link, and a further portion-'extending from said short angled'portion beyond said major portion and in a direction substantially parallel therewith, said short angled portion of the link extendingA through ank openingv in said reach member and detachably retained therein by means o said furtherY extending portion.

2. In a saddle construction, in combination, a seating member, a reach member having one Y end pivotally connected. to the'seating. member and its other end freeY for'movementv toward .or away from said member, the 'free end of' the reach member being formed as a loop disposed in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the seating member, a link Within the looped end of the reach member and having one end pivotally connected thereto, and a torsion spring located laterally of the reach member, said spring having an arm extending under the reach member and connected to the other end of said link, said `spring being tensioned to normallyv pull the reach member downwardly until a portion of said member contacts with said arm, the downward movement of said reach member being limited by said contact, the upper end of said link comprising a short portion extending at an angle with the major. portion of said link, and a further portion extending from said short angled portion beyond said major portion and in a direction substantially parallel therewith, said short angled portion of the link extending through an opening in said reach member and detachably vretained therein by means of saidfurther extending portion.

3. In a saddle construction for cycles or the like, in combination, a seating'member, a reach member having one end pivotally connected to the seating member and its otherr end free for swinging movement toward and away from said seating member, the free end of the reach member being formed as an approximately rectangular loop disposed in a plane generally parallelf to the plane of the seating member, a pair of torsion springs carried by said seating member,

.one upon each side of said reach member and each having an arm extending generally inwardlyl toward the longitudinalV center line of said saddle construction and beneath the lateral portions of said loop, a pair of links disposed within said loop and depending therefrom, the lower ends of said links being pivotally connected t0 the inner ends of said arms respectively, the

upper ends of said linkseach being readily detachably and pivotally hooked within an aperiture in said reach member, said'arms adapted to pivot about their points of connection with the lower ends of said links', against the torsional re-;

sistance of said springs, 'and to abut the undersides. of' the lateral portions of said loops to limit the relative movement between said membersfin directions away from each other.:

CARL HANSON. 

